Policy

Midtown Pet Centre – Our Policy

Arrivals and Departures:

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staff and animals at Midtown Pet Centre all pets will go through a comprehensive check-in process. Proof of vaccination must be provided in the form of a Vaccination Certificate for the check-in process to be completed. Where a vaccination certificate cannot be produced, confirmation from a veterinarian may be accepted. All pets must be currently vaccinated to enter the facility as a form of protection for themselves and others.

There may be some instances where a pet will be refused entry into the kennel facility, these include:

Current vaccination cannot be proven.

If an animal displays signs of having a contagious condition.

If an animal demonstrates aggressive behavior.

The pet is not appropriate for the boarding facility.

To assist owners in ensuring their pets have a safe transition in and out of the pet resort, we ask that all pets be appropriately transported. This can be achieved through the use of cat packs for felines and a collar and leash system for canines.

To support all pets in settling into the kennel environment Midtown Pet Centre requires the check-in process to be completed during the morning reception hours. This allows the pets time to become familiar with their new home. Our reception hours for arrivals, departures and inspections are:

Monday – Friday: 7:30am – 12:00noon
Saturday: 7:30am – 11:00am

Departures only:

Monday – Sunday: 4.30pm – 5.00pm by appointment.

Closed all Queensland public holidays and Christmas day.

Entire Female Pets:

At Midtown Pet Centre, our primary consideration is the welfare of our guests. To that end, boarding a female in “heat” poses hygiene concerns in the boarding kennel and cattery environment. Additionally pheromones and scents released from the female pet in “heat” can evoke behavioral changes in other guests staying with us.

If you have an entire female pet then we respectively ask you to consider the following options.

Have a friend or family member who is immediately available to collect your pet upon showing any signs of coming into heat (agreed at Midtown Pet Centre’s discretion).

Dogs:

First “heat” generally occurs when a female dog is between six and 24 months old. Although it varies with different breeds and individual dogs, a female dog usually goes into heat twice yearly, about every six months.

Cats:

First “heat” can occur in cats as early as 4 months of age and it can last 3-10 days. Although variable, cats can come back into ‘heat cycle’ as early as two weeks after.

Fee Schedule:

Upon making a reservation at Midtown Pet Centre, a deposit must be produced to confirm each individual booking. Once the deposit has been received, a booking confirmation with a receipt and invoice will be supplied to the customer. All deposits are non transferable and non refundable. When a booking has been confirmed, any booking changes will be at the cost of the customer. We understand travel plans can change, however being a boutique facility our guests rooms are in high demand. For this reason we require full payment of the original booking, even if the guest has an early departure or late arrival.

All fees are set by Midtown Pet Centre management and are unable to be negotiated. Midtown Pet Centre review their prices annually and are subject to change without notice.

During peak holiday times including Christmas and Easter, an inflated holiday rate will apply to all standard boarding rates. The dates on which these rates apply can be obtained from Midtown Pet Centre reception at any time throughout the year.

All boarding rates are charged per calendar day, however at times, Midtown Pet Centre may choose to discount the departure day if the pet/s are collected early in the morning. The final tax invoice less any deposits is required to be settled in full, by EFTPOS, credit card or cash not later than the day of collection.

Privacy:

To ensure all pet owners are able to be contacted efficiently, Midtown Pet Centre are required to collect personal information. All personal information is obtained by lawful and fair means and, where appropriate, with the knowledge or consent of the individual concerned. Reasonable security safeguards are used to protect personal information against loss or theft, unauthorised access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. At times, images of pets residing at the pet resort are taken for marketing and communication purposes. These images may be viewed on the world wide web through social media and websites.

Vaccination:

Midtown Pet Centre requires all pets who stay at the pet resort to hold a current vaccination prior to checking-in. Vaccinations help protect the pets health at all times, however particularly when they are exposed to other animals. At times, a pets vaccination can lapse past the renewal date. When this occurs owners must ensure their pet/s is vaccinated no less than ten (10) days before checking-in for any service provided on the premises. Alternatively a letter can be provided from a veterinarian stating that the pet is safe to be housed within Midtown Pet Centre’s facility for the duration of the stay. It is a legal requirement that all vaccination certificates are sighted by a member of Midtown Pet Centre’s team prior to a pet entering the pet resort.

A C3 Vaccine plus yearly KC booster. The C3 vaccine lasts for three years and provides protection against Parvovirus, Distemper and Hepatitis. Accompanying the C3 vaccine must be a KC vaccine. This is an annual vaccine which provides protection against canine cough (Para influenza and Boardatella bronchiseptiac).
Canine Cough (Boardatella bronchiseptica):

Canine cough is not inclusive to dogs, it can be transmitted between many different animal types. While vaccinations help to prevent dogs from obtaining the virus, dogs can catch canine cough when they inhale bacteria or virus particles into their respiratory tracts. This can occur at any time including at a dog park, going for a walk, and interacting with other animals (not only dogs). While every precaution is taken to prevent canine cough in the kennel facility, not unlike humans catching the flu, dogs can catch canine cough.

KC is initiated with a viral (parainfluenza) infection and damage to the mucus membranes of the upper respiratory track, which is then followed with a bacteria phase with Boardatella. At this stage the effects can be mucus pooling and a coughing and retching action. Vaccines are fairly effective against this disease. The standard vaccines contains both a viral and bacterial component to protect against both stages of the cough. Due to the ability of the parainfluenza virus’ to mutate it is hard to produce vaccines that work against all strains. Therefore if our team notices signs, immediate vet treatment will be sought.

In most cases, canine cough is not a serious condition and most pets are able to recover without receiving any specific treatment.

Ticks and Fleas:

Ticks are found along the whole of the east coast of Australia, from north Queensland to northern Victoria, and inland when conditions are favorable. It is very important to understand that a bite from the Australian Paralysis Tick (Ixodes holocyclus) can kill your pet. Animals bitten by a tick first become paralyzed at the base of the spine. The paralysis gradually works its way to the nerves supplying the diaphragm, and in extreme cases the pet dies of respiratory failure. Although paralysis ticks can be found all year round, the peak season is spring and summer, when warm weather combines with periods of rain. You need to be aware and check yourself and your animals regularly. Ticks can be found in backyards, parks and bushland.

Midtown Pet Centre requires all pets to have current tick and flea protection while boarding. Midtown Pet Centre considers the following forms of Tick and Flea protection as an acceptable preventative in a kennel environment.

A range of products including frontline, bravecto, nexgard, advantix and frontera are available to purchase from Midtown Pet Centre at arrival if needed. If a pet already has current tick and flea treatment before checking in please advise the reception team of the date administered, expiry date and product type. It is the responsibility of the pet owner to ensure reasonable safe guards and treatments are in place for the duration of their pets stay.

Veterinary Treatment:

During a pet’s stay, there may be times when veterinary treatment is required. When this occurs every effort will be made to contact the owner where possible. It is at the discretion of Midtown Pet Centre which veterinary surgery will be contacted. Midtown Pet Centre will collaborate with the Veterinarian and where possible the owner to decide on the course of treatment required.

Any required veterinary treatment will be at the pet owner’s expense. Payment for veterinary treatment is due at the time of collection or return of the pet. A transport fee may apply for off-site vet appointments.

Medications:

Midtown Pet Centre makes no representations that it is qualified to prescribe or administer medication to animals, and will only do so if it is directed by the owner or a qualified veterinarian. Midtown Pet Centre endeavors to administer the medication as instructed by the owner or specified by the medication instructions. Midtown Pet Centre accepts no responsibility for any death or illness caused to the pet as a result of the medication.

Abandonment:

If for any reason whatsoever a customer fails to collect their pet the following process will be followed:

On the scheduled date of departure and the following days Midtown Pet Centre will make every effort to contact the owner using all information provided by the owner at the time of check-in.

Fourteen (14) days from the departure date, if no communication has been made with the owner, and/or the account is outstanding, the pet shall be deemed as abandoned. At this point, Midtown Pet Centre may at their sole discretion re-home, sell or dispose of the pet.

The pet owner is not relieved of any obligation to pay any outstanding fees due to Midtown Pet Centre. Midtown Pet Centre hold the right to commence legal proceedings against the pet owner to recover the outstanding amounts.

Contact:

Each member of the team at Midtown Pet Centre values their relationships with every client and guest. However, to minimise error and ensure consistent service is provided, team members are not available to be contacted on personal mobile phones, personal emails, or personal social media at any time. All bookings and enquiries must be made through Midtown Pet Centre administration during business hours.

Although every effort is made to promptly reply to social media communication, We encourage all our customers to utilise our primary communication options including:

Food and Diets:

Midtown Pet Centre have a range of high quality dog and cat foods. Midtown Pet Centre can cater for guests who require a special diet or prescription food. In this circumstance individually packaged daily portions or sealable containers are required to be provided by the pet owner. Every effort is made to keep the feeding routine similar to their home environment, however Midtown Pet Centre accepts no responsibility for any error or illness experienced by the pet.

Transport:

A transport service is available upon request. A quoted transport fee can be obtained by contacting administration. All quotes are issued are a one-way service and the time is an approximation. All transport vehicles are roadworthy and all pets are safely secured during transportation. In the circumstance that an accident, traffic incident or any unforseen situation may occur, Midtown Pet Centre is not responsible for any damages or illness that the guests may experience.

Bedding and Toys:

Midtown Pet Centre use a particular fabric and infill for their bedding to exceed the industry hygiene standards, therefore we do not allow guests to bring in their own bedding. We do however welcome a couple of toys and/or small blanket from home to assist pets in their transition to a kennel environment. Toys in the form of Kongs, K9 plays and similar pet stimulating toys are provided to guests throughout their stay. All reasonable measures are taken to ensure items provided from guests homes stay with the pet(s), however we take no responsibility for guests personal items.

Client Feedback

“We highly recommend MidTown Pet Centre. We have a cat ‘Possum’ and dog ‘Ellie’ who have holidayed at MidTown a number of times over the past 2 years. Brian and Sam, plus additional staff, take excellent care of all their guests in a professional and caring manner. It certainly gives us peace of mind knowing our 4 legged kids are in such safe hands! When they come home, they are clean, in excellent health and happy. Thanks guys!”